It was dark when they arrived in Desedra. The train hissed to a stop and Rhen had to reign in his nervous energy. He wanted to leap to his feet and run to the communications center but had to restrain himself.

“Shall we stay at the Silver Mark?” Rhen asked. It was a choice pick, close to the downtown center where Arannet could access the guild tower, the comms center so Rhen could make his very important long-distance call, and close to the market for Jakira to sell some wares.

Arannet grimaced. “Isn’t that a bit expensive? I’ll just stay in my apartment.”

Jakira grabbed Arannet’s hand. “No, that would be so sad! We came as a group.”

Rhen wasn’t opposed to Arannet being around, and Jakira seemed to enjoy her company. “I’ll pay your room fee if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“You would?” she asked, wincing as if in anticipation of his rejection.

Rhen shrugged. “Sure, it’s just one night.”

Rhen remembered the day not long ago when he’d never consider getting a guild dog’s room fare. When he lived in scarcity and struggled for every meal, every place to rest his head. He wasn’t there anymore, and if everything went well with the paperwork, he’d never be there again. But if it didn’t, it was better to share what he had while he still had it.

Arannet smiled and looked to Jakira. “Okay, sounds fun!”

Jakira and Arannet grinned at each other, holding hands and bouncing on their feet. Aki and Rhen led the way while Jakira and Arannet planned their evening out. They’d both lived in Desedra long enough to know the fun spots to visit, and while Rhen wasn’t here for fun, it couldn’t hurt to have a little.

After business was handled…

The train platform was black and sticky from all the dropped goods, wads of spit, and who knew what else it was caked with from decades of passengers. The departure train was light, only a few people stopping here. The rush to get on when Rhen and the others were out of the way was mad. Hundreds of people trying to catch the last train home for the night.

The city loomed overhead as they descended the stairs to the street. The buildings were so massive that they lit up the clouds in the sky. Of course, a cloud of smog always hung over Desedra. But in the night, when the blues, purples, pinks, and reds of the advertisement signs created a glow, it was almost enchanting.

Rhen stopped and turned to them as they reached the crowded street. “Aki and I need to go to the communications center straight away, so we’ll meet you at the Silver Mark in an hour.”

“Broodmother cannot wait.” Aki affirmed, his voice strained.

“Told you you couldn’t lie for fluff.” Rhen thought with an amused smirk.

Jakira held out her hand. “Money.”

In Rhen’s periphery, he caught sight of two people who’d been staring a little too long. He grabbed her hand and pulled her in close. “They’re watching. Go straight to the inn and wait for us.” He dropped one of the smaller coin purses in her pocket slyly.

He released her.

“Okay, see you soon,” Arannet said with a grin, none the wiser to their potential tail.

He waved them off, then turned to stare at the men leaned against the alley. They looked away, then the shorter man bumped the other’s elbow, leading him deeper down the alley. They’d be safe from these pickpockets, but there were more in the city.

The “haves” walked around with their money in their id syntial instead of their pockets for good reason, as there were many “have nots” in the streets of Desedra. And though it was harder to transfer, money locked up in the id syntial was impossible to steal… unless they did what Rhen had done.

He ground his teeth and moved on, wanting to escape that thought as much as the busy train station. He watched Jak from the corner of his eye until her bright red hair and black horns passed out of sight. They’d be okay. She was strong and capable.

They walked silently all the way to the center of downtown, where the activity really picked up. This late in the evening there weren’t many people like Rhen in the city center. Every street corner had a beautiful person of every shape, size, gender, and race waiting for a companion. The city was bustling with political events, balls, fundraisers, and who knew what else where the wealthy would want an attractive accomplice on their arm.

A few blocks from the D.O.G. tower was one of the cities many realm-to-realm communication stations. There was one inside the D.O.G. tower of course, but that was strictly for their business. Rhen paid the fee, and they found their way to one of the tiny booths with a full-length mirror.

He activated the control node. “Shin’Bara, Los Loran City.”

The mirror filled with light and color, undulating as the command connected the call to Los Loran. A transfer agent appeared on the other side, not even looking up from their display. “Name?”

“Tansi Zephitz.”

“Roger. Hold.” They made a few swift gestures and the mirror blurred again.

It stayed that way for a long, tense moment. The colorful blur ceased its chaotic movement, and the shape of a woman emerged in the light. The image was hazy, he assumed because the connection was weak and split over several control nodes, but he recognized Tansi all the same.

She was older than Rhen remembered, but he supposed that’s what happened to someone after eleven years. Her black hair was tucked back in a loose bun that had strands flying out this way and that, and her vibrant crimson eyes marked her as a Shin’Baran. She frowned, and wrinkles appeared at the creases of her mouth and eyes.

“What do you want?” Her voice was staticky and distorted.

“I wanted to let you know that I own my own dungeon.”

She scoffed, shaking her head. “Good for you.”

“You’re entitled to a portion of it, as my… my—”

“Don’t say it,” she snapped, fury burning in her face.

Rhen swallowed. “If you would like to come view the dungeon and assess what your share of the profit should be, I would make myself available and pay for your passage to Resplendare.”

She crossed her arms, looking away. “I don’t want anything from you.”

“Then release me from this contract,” Rhen said, his fists clenched.

Her eyes narrowed on him. “Fine. I’ll be there in two days, and we’ll discuss both.”

Two days, but Welsh…

“There’s no need to rush—

“You’ll need me out of the way before the nexus paperwork is completed, right?”

The blood drained from Rhen’s face. She already knew?

She sneered at his reaction. “Yes, I’m kept apprised of all your doings by the local guild, despite me telling them to stop sending me messages about you.”

“Forgive me for asking, then why have you not legally separated sooner?” Aki interjected.

Rhen clenched up in anticipation of her wrath.

“I supposed I should’ve done it the night you came to my door.” She gritted her teeth, holding something back.

Blood and screams flooded Rhen’s thoughts with pain. He clamped down on it, keeping his expression blank. “Yes, well you didn’t let me stay long, did you?”

Her eyes glistened with angry tears. “I kept my promise. Seeing how you’ve grown into a man, this will be much easier. See you soon.”

Her image dispersed into the light waves, and the mirror went blank.

Aki put a tentacle on Rhen’s shoulder. “It will be okay.”

“Yeah.” He exhaled his held breath and relaxed his hands. “We didn’t use all the time. Do you want to contact your Broodmother?” Rhen stepped aside.

Aki turned blue. “No.”

Rhen shrugged. “Fair enough.”

They strode from the building into the streets of the downtown. They earned more than a few disgusted glares from men in suits, or women in fine gowns. They were delvers in the city past the unofficial curfew for people not well-dressed.

Rhen caught the back of a trolly out of town and Aki rolled along behind him. When the cart came to a stop, Rhen walked to the front and paid the driver a few coins for letting him hitch a ride. It wasn’t far from the Silver Mark, but the party was already spilling into the streets.

For the delvers who’d struck big, the inns near the market district were a prime place to lose all one’s earnings on drinking, gambling, and pleasurable company. With all their Desedra currency stored in their syntial ids, it was relatively safe to stagger from bar to bar.

The same Cadrian man was working the front desk when Rhen arrived.

“Ah, Mr. Zephitz,” he said with a broad smile. Rhen was almost surprised he’d remembered his name, but with it getting broadcasted across the realms, it’d soon be a name on everyone’s mind. “The rest of your party is already waiting in the dining room and your rooms have been prepared—top floor as requested.”

Rhen kept his eyes from bulging out of their sockets, but only just. “Very good.”

He walked past the concierge desk toward the door leading to the bar-side of the inn. Jakira and Arannet were posted up at one of the large booths in the back, sharing a small plate of breads and jams while enjoying some drink in a very fine goblet.

He slid into the booth opposite of Jakira and smiled ferociously. “Top floor?”

She raised her cup, golden cheeks glowing. “The best for the best!”

Arannet clinked her goblet against hers and they both drank.

Arannet gasped, setting her goblet aside. “We almost got robbed!”

Rhen quirked a brow. “And instead?”

“Jakira almost sent them for respawn!” Arannet beamed, her eyes glowing as she looked at her new friend. “She was magnificent.”

Jakira shrugged, smirking. “What can I say? A steady diet of monster hunting and I forget my own strength. But she’s lying, they’re fine. Broken ribs for one, and jaw for the other.”

Rhen sighed. “Well, I’m just glad you’re both safe.”

The barman approached the table with two more goblets, full to the brim with a deep red wine. He reached for Jakira and Arannet’s nearly empty goblets. “Another for the ladies?”

Rhen stop him with a gentle hand. “No, this’ll be fine for now.”

“He’s right,” Jakira nodded, soberly. Arannet pouted and Jakira broke into a wide grin. “We have many other places to visit tonight. We can’t pass out at the inn.”

Arannet bobbed her head excitedly, her tight bun loosening. They were both so excited to be back in town, to enjoy some of its splendors they didn’t get at Zephitz. Despite the sour taste Tansi left in his mouth, he couldn’t justify stamping out their good time.

Rhen chuckled, raising his glass. “All right, fine. Let’s do it. The best for the best.”